Romanzo criminale - La serie

Romanzo criminale was hidden away on the Sky arts channel and I'm glad i found it. I have watched the three series devotedly and i must say this was one of the best TV programme I've followed. In my opinion, its an Italian version of The Sopranos, if you've ever watched the Sopranos you'll definitely enjoy this. The whole series was in sub titles and I think the sub titles added to the intensity of this show. It goes into very graphic detail of the rise of a criminal gang in Rome, starting from the seventies. All the characters were believable and I wouldn't be surprised if it was based on some criminals of their time in Italy/Rome.

This is quite simply one of the best pieces of television ever from any country, its rates alongside older classics like I Claudius and Poldark and more recent classics like The Wire and The Shield

The casting in this is absolutely spot on for each and every character.

The way the story unfolds is script writing at its best with a number of stand out Oscar worthy performances.

The interplay between the characters within and outside the gang of criminals is a joy to watch.

The series can be both violent ,ruthless and quite simply beautifully poignant also. All in all a true masterpiece.

I cannot recommend this enough;]

What a wonderful series. Just finished watching the finale of series 2 and it has be breathing hard. And it's not just becomes its the finale, its the whole series and every episode with has been like that. Yes it's in Italian so the subtitles are key, that way I think we tend to focus more and are less distracted by other things at home, and that makes it much more enjoyable. The storyline itself is quite good which makes the core of the series of great quality. The direction keep the story moving fast , though it feels that the transition sometime isn't that smooth. But I thought the crude sense makes the series even more charming. The main leads do a great job and are quite ably supported. I have manly seen series2 and now have to see the first series for sure , the other way round would be much better but I think it'll be great fun all the same. The editing is brilliant and hence thrill of the series is kept alive through every episode because of that. A must watch for people who love good action TV ( it is a crime series so expect a lot of gun related action) ....a have to have to watch for people who love mafia related television.

Now that Gomorrah has reached 4 seasons (soon the fifth and I hope last season) I can say that Romanzo Criminale is perhaps the most beautiful and perfect show ever filmed, Gomorrah is another masterpiece but unfortunately it is lasting too long, even if it is still on levels very high you begin to notice the repetitiveness of the situations, in fact I hope that they keep their word and that with the fifth they close everything. Romazon, on the other hand, is perfect, a smart, short series that does not linger and tells the criminal epic of this gang in a sublime, perfect and blunt way. Stefano Sollima confirms himself as the best Italian director ever

I really don't understand what took me so long to watch, let alone, discover this amazing show.

Romanzo Criminale is an immensely realistic and edgy show. Based on events of street thugs turned criminal organization in 1970-1980s Rome, the series seemed to portray the decade's atmosphere with perfection and had me captivated for its entirety.

There was some sort of novelty, if not charm, of seeing a group of amateur thugs band together to form lifelong friendships, pursuits of love or strive for a better life in general - all in the backdrop of social/political unrest of Italy at the time.

Despite humble beginnings, these somewhat naive core characters begin to see the stark realities that surround them. Betrayals, murders, greed and revenge are only just a small taste of what ultimately corrupts the main and side characters, turning one against the other or forming alliances.

The characters and how they are conditioned/molded is really what shines here. To see Libanese rise from such impoverished, depressive conditions or the undying struggle for justice by Commissioner Scialoja. The characters and narrative are further strengthened by a well written, intense script, excellent cinematography, truly monumental climaxes and actors that really pull of some outstanding performances (particularly Freddo's character).

Ultimately, this is a show that will drag you in, keep you extremely invested in multiple characters and then crush you at least a few times, but it's okay! Criminale Romanzo's charm and realism never really wears off and manages to tell a great story with conviction. Disregard the fact that you'll have to watch this with subtitles, it is Easily one of the best TV shows I have ever watched.